Column: Farewell from the retail tech beat

It's bittersweet to write this column — my last regular one for the Retail Technology page.

After three years on Automotive News' retail team, with a focus on covering dealership technology, I'm switching beats. Going forward, I'll be Automotive News' reporter covering General Motors at a transformational time for the Detroit automaker.

I hadn't covered auto retail before this role, and my education came largely from a global pandemic that sent dealerships across the country looking to develop more of an online sales presence at precisely the time I was learning what it meant to buy a car online.

It was a transformational time for auto retailers, too. The pandemic changed a lot of attitudes about car buying, from the location of the purchase to how long it should take. Dealers experimented with video, remote deliveries, e-contracting, digital credit applications and online appointment scheduling. A lot of this shift happened out of necessity because showrooms were forced to close in the spring of 2020 and there often was no other way to sell vehicles.

But a large part of this shift has had staying power. Customer convenience generally has won out, with dealers and automakers alike now turning their attention to refining the customer experience in order to save time and win business.

I fully expect this ongoing transition — and how it affects dealers — to be part of my coverage of GM going forward. Don't hesitate to send source and story ideas my way.

And you may still see me on this page and in the accompanying weekly Retail Technology email newsletter from time to time. I won't be far.